Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。
These blue flowers are Persian speedwell (Veronica persica). They're so tiny, as small as
lesser trefoil (Trifolium dubium), which is called in Japanese "rice grain clover."
Japan has at least the following three speedwells, all of which have terrible Japanese names:
- Veronica polita or grey field-speedwell, whose Japanese name is "Dog balls"
- Veronica persica or Persian speedwell, "Large dog balls"
- Veronica arvensis or corn speedwell, "Standing dog balls"
Tomitaro Makino, a Japanese botanist, is responsible. He named grey field speedwell "Dog balls" because, according to him, the fruits look like the balls of a dog and because of that, Persian speedwell, which is a little larger than grey field speedwell, "Large dog balls" and then corn speedwell "Standing dog balls" because it stands upright unlike grey field speedwell covering the ground.
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| Persian speedwell (Veronica persica) オオイヌノフグリ（大犬の陰嚢） |
